


Demonic Possession

by tricksterash



Category: Hataraku Maou-Sama! | The Devil Is a Part-Timer!
Genre: Gen, Introspection, Possessive Behavior, alternate title: lost in translation, hinted maou/emi, ish, kind of, touches on cultural differences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-05-01 13:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5207207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tricksterash/pseuds/tricksterash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some concepts still get lost in translation for Maou.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Demonic Possession

**Author's Note:**

> This is just something that came to mind in class when we were talking about ideas getting lost in translation and untranslatable words. Enjoy the ficlet.

Demons are possessive by nature. It's something that Satan doesn't always think about, living as the human Maou Sadao, but it's something that never really goes away. Even in this human body. He's felt the need to jealously guard what's his for as long as he can remember - the need to keep everything close.

It's in the way he rarely chides Alciel for the way he speaks to him, even  though he's  his subordinate. Or how he worries when Alciel's  been gone for longer than he'd expected. Sometimes he's afraid the older demon will finally give up on him, or that something will happen and he'll lose his closest confidant. It's also why he can't let go of Chiho, though he knows that just being near him has and will put her in danger.

It's that spark of annoyance when he sees people eyeing up Suzuno and Lucifer the few times she's dragged him out of the house and down to the restaurant, usually on some errand. Whether their eyes are lustful or critical, Maou has to suppress the urge to rip them from their skulls. He could do it. It wouldn't even take magic. (Then again, so could they.)

It's definitely in the way he guards Emi and Alas=Ramus, as if the Hero Emilia can't protect herself. Her furious yelling, annoying as it can be, is worth the headache when he knows they're still safe with him. Strange as it is, they've become something  like a family to him. Maybe not in the blood-related way that demons value, but in the feelings that humans do. So he'll eliminate any threat to their safety.

Emi says jealousy and possessiveness are unbecoming qualities to humans, when she notices. But Maou sees the way she tenses whenever someone else holds Alas=Ramus' attention, and the way she warily scans anyone who comes near her friends as if she's assessing an enemy. Sometimes her hand even twitches as if clutching her sword, despite there being nothing obviously dangerous about a person. If those aren't possessive reactions, what is?

Lucifer bemusedly calls it her being protective when he finally gives in and consults the fallen angel. Maou's not sure what the difference is. Demons protect what's theirs. Their clans, their mates, their young; all their treasures. Lucifer says there's a difference to humans, that they don't see it as being treated like a 'treasure' but an 'object'. Then he turns back to his computer, leaving Maou no less confused. He's not sure if Lucifer's mocking him or not when he tells Maou that he's what humans would call 'overprotective'.

Clearly there are still things he needs to learn about humans. He could just ask Lailah. She'll explain things, and maybe she won't laugh at him. (She does, but only a little.)


End file.
